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M. F. LOWTH-ANDT. J. OF OWATONNA,` MINNESOTA.

Letters Patent No. 86,561, dated Februa/ry 2, 1869.

IMIPRQYEMENT IN SEED-SOWER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

A l'o all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, M. F. Lowrn and T. J. Howe, of Owatonna, in the county of Steele, and State'of Minnesota, have invented a new and improved Seed-Sewer 5 and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,A

clear, and exact description of the same, sufficientA to enable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, to fully understand and use it, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a section through line'x x oi' fig. 2. Figure 2 is a top view. This invention relates to that class of seed-sewers in which the seed is distributed by means 'of a series of grooved cylinders, arranged upon a rotating shaft, under the seed-box, each working in a concave cap, through which the seed is fed.

This improvement consistsin a novel construction and arrangement of the shaft, clutch, draught-wheels,

and axles, in connection with said cylinders and caps,

`and the lever for regulating the feed, whereby the conf struction of the machine is greatly simplified, and its cost reduced, while it is rendered stronger and more durable than'heretofore.`

In the drawings- A A Az represent the wooden cross-beams of the frame, and

B B', the longitudinal side pieces, which maybe made of metal.

Upon the outer Side of each of the `pieces-B BQis` vided there with an inward-projecting ange, which comes against the end of the bearing. l

A spindle, G, is arranged within the hollow bearing, as seen in g. 1, and upon the inner lend of it is cast, or otherwise fastened, -a clutch -h'ead., c, which fits against the inner side of the frame-piece B.

At its opposite end, at c', the spindle. is reduced in size, and made square, fitting accurately into a square opening in the hub, enclosed and formed bythe liange e.

Gutside of the flange, the spindle terminates in a screw, c2, provided with a nut, N.

The wheel D being placed upon its bearing 11, and the `spindle G being inserted into the bearings, so that its square part, c, shall extend through the square opening in the hub, then, by screwing the nut N rrnly against the hub, the latter and the clutch c are so connected together that the wheel cannot rotate without communicating its motion to the clutch.

The opposite draught-wheel bears upon the other Ahollow stud, and is held in place by a nut having a lscrew-stem, which screws into the open end of the stud.l

`Directly between the two draught-wheels, and inea line with their axes, is a square shaft, F, one end of which reduced in size, and rounded oil, as seen'at f, so as to project into and bear in the hollow stud that supports wheel D', the other end coming ysquare up to the centre of the clutch-head c, which may be hol lowed out a little at that point, to prevent friction against the shaft.

At the latter end of the shaft is arranged a common working in connectionwith-the head e, to move or stop the shaft F.

- H is the ordinary seed-distributin g cylinder, held in place on the shaft F, by means of pins t t, wedges. vor other suitable device.

1 is the cap, through which the seedis fed 'fromvthe seed-box, (not shown in the drawing,) and J is the lever, by which the whole shaft is moved longitudinally, for the purpose of adjusting the feed of the seeder.

g is a small pin, .which holds the lever G in place, preventing the clutch from engaging or disengaging improperly. j

It is evident that the leverG being held in place, the shaft F- can be moved lengthwise in either direction, by means of lever J, without interrupting the action of the clutch and theoperation of the machine. It is also evident that the lever J or'shaft F being heldin place,the clutch H can, by means of lever Gr, be caused' to engage with or disengage from its counterpart @without disturbing the position of the parts that constitute'the feeding-apparatus. l

The shaft F, besides the bearing at one end, as abve described, may be provided with other bearings,1at tached to the cross-beams A A1.

struction and operation. l

Having thus described ourinvention,

ters Patent, is-

1. In connection with two, draught-wheels D D', bearing on hollow studs, which project from the frame of the carriage, so thatsaid wheels'run independently of an feed-cylinder shaft F, situated in line with the axes of saidwheels, and capable of sliding longitudinally, and of being connected at pleasure to one of the draughtwheels, so as to receive motion therefrom, bymeans of a friction-'clutch,E'c, substantially as described, and for the purpose -set forth;4

2, The combination of the part O 'c c c2 with the hollowstud b, the screw-nut N, and the hub of the wheel D, provided with the ange e, the whole being constructed' to operate substantially as and for the purposes specified. M. F."LOWTH. T. J. HOW'E. Witnesses: f

UKW. BURDIG, E. B. DURGlN.

sliding frictionclutch, E, operated by a lever, Gr, and

The whole device operates directlyrfrorn the right What we claim as new, and desire to secure byY Letarde-tree, and of each other, the square or p'olyhedi'al 

